Post #11 Free Write

**I wouldn't recommend watching this video in its entirety because it is a 45 minute video. It's just a little insight to who I am and where I came from.**

Let's start with the basics, this video is of my high school football team. I went to Plattsmouth High School in Plattsmouth, Nebraska. For those of you who don't know where that's at it is 20 minutes south of Omaha. It is a highlight video from our 2006 season or my junior year. Our team is blue and white, our jerseys are all blue, all white, white with blue pants, or blue with white pants. I wear number 31, the same number that I wear here at Wesleyan.

I chose this video not only because I'm in it but because it has some of my fondest memories within it as well as a group of people that I will never forget. The friendships and bonds that you create during a football career are unforgettable. Although moving forward from those relationships is tough you will make new ones. Here at Wesleyan I've already started to create new bonds with the kids on the football team here. Those bonds that I make will last me a life time and so will the memories that will be forged from the practices and games.

The football team is who I am and what has characterized me since I got to high school. People used to always come up to me and say, "Hey your number 31 right? Well you had a really awesome game last night." No one will remember who scored and who didn't but they will remember watching as the game slowly progressed and fun was had by all those who stood, watched, and cheered. I'm sure many of you have experienced many of these things at your respective high schools as well. Don't ever forget those memories but don't forget to make new ones here.

Life isn't all about what accomplishments you achieve right away. The ones that stick are the ones that you have to work to earn. In this video you don't see much of me in the first two or three games. Part of that is due to injury, I rolled my ankle the week of the first game and part of that is because I wasn't a starter to begin with. At a school like mine not everyone gets to play, only the best at each position get the opportunity to play in varsity competition. To start the season I wasn't good enough. Through hard work and sheer determination I got to that starter status. That is evident as you see more and more of me in the clip as games go by. There is something to the saying, "Hard work gets the job done." If you work hard and believe in your talents you can earn any spot or job you want. This can be applied in any aspect of life not just sports.

T.I.